Life Magazine Cover Vogue Magazine Cover

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2. What do both of the covers have in common?
  • Title
  • Sub-text banner
  • Portrait
  • Eye-contact with the camera
  • Solid back-ground
3. What is the main story in that issue and how does it relate to the image on the cover?
  • "Discrimination of the North"
    • About Recent Politic and Kennedy is a politician
  • "The Best Looking Clothes From..."
    • About current clothing fashions, She's wearing clothing that can't be pinned on a certain place but, is obviously stylish of the era.

4. What design principles are evident in the cover image?
  • Simple and Single point: There only one subject and it's very clear
  • Rule of Thirds (vogue) Her eye is in the top right corner, her shoulder is the bottom left.
  • Contrast : life red and blue- grey/ pink and blue eyes.

The Evolution of the Magazine Cover
The earliest magazine had not a title page but a banner and table of contents. In chronological order the small times new roman text told the reader of articles providing knowledge, instruction and entertainment. The first magazine covers where styled after manuscripts for a novel with publication info, title and a sketch illustrating what you could find in the magazine. Then in the 1800's the cover's purpose shifted to tell you no tangible information but, only displayed "the spirit of the publication". You where left to interpretate the picture for yourself. Other magazines started the article on the first page with a banner title to make them look like a newspaper. The feeling was at the time that a man read his newspaper while a woman read her magazine. The cover-images often symbolized a mother's roll in the family as a instructor. In 1870 the cover line showed up on these magazines. 20 years prior all the elements were on a cover this style carried through to the 1890's until editors started experimenting. Specifically with the organized of "departments" (for example art and music) both on the cover and in the content.
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6. The charateristics of a poster cover:
  • Communicates the information quickly and effectively Ex. "DRUGS"
  • Visually attractive to their audience: both current and targeting a female(on the right) and a male(on the left)
  • Convincing source :short strong statement to the back up a claim. Ex. "The fashion stores only vogue can give you."
  • Color ink: both use color ink in the title to have the color "Pop". While using only black ink for cover lines which is clear but, more subtile.
  • Very simple: Cover consisting of a face, a title.
  • Bold title: The only texted bold is the title.
  • Capital for important cover lines. Both poster covers have this.

7. What is the purpose of cover lines?
A cover line is a punchy statement to interest the reader. This orders the articles in importance by giving the words a certain font size and color. The most important articles cover line would be the top left corner is for example red, 20 point font.
Balance the ratio of words to image on the cover
Layering words contributes to a sense of depth in a image ( like the beginning of 'Star-trek' movies)
8. What is an "integrated" cover?
Having both a photo and cover-lines and it still "works"
complementary spaces
complementary colors
For example having the image overlap the title a little so there's synergy between words and images.
9. How can the placement of cover lines effect the overall design of a cover?
they can clutter a picture or the cover-lines can disappear into the picture. If done properly the cover lines will be the third thing you look at first. By complementing the picture and title.


Cover Lines
10. Describe the following styles of cover lines:
  • Outside the box
    • Do not overlap the picture. Ex. having a large illustration inside a box and allowing text to be overtop/under the picture "outside the box".
  • Inside the box
    • Inside a colored box the cover lines. Ex. framing the text by having the print on a colored box or inside a boarder.
  • Columns
    • a vertical line dedicated to cover lines only. While text is still typed left to right.
  • Zones
    • squaring off sections of the cover to title, picture and cover lines without using any boxes. This is best for extensive coverlines.
  • Banners and Corners
    • Banners are columns but in rows and it doesn't need a boarder ever. Having titles in each corner following the rule of thirds. One great effect is when you lay a diagonal banner across the top right corner and put text following the banner inside.
  • Unplanned and Planned Spaces
    • Filling blanks a illustrator left open.
    • Overlay a blank box for a cover line onto the picture
  • References:
  • http://www.slideshare.net/ernest16/analysing-magazine-cover